Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala’s current State Police Chief Sheikh Darvesh Sahib prepares to retire on June 30, the race to appoint his successor has reached its decisive phase. A key meeting of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will take place in New Delhi tomorrow to finalize a shortlist of three senior IPS officers. Kerala Chief Secretary Dr. V. Venu and DGP Sheikh Darvesh will attend the meeting, after which the sealed list will be handed over to the state—either to the Chief Secretary or a government emissary. The final decision will rest with the state cabinet or the Chief Minister.
Among the six senior IPS officers in the fray, Transport Commissioner Nitin Agarwal tops the list, followed by Intelligence Bureau Deputy Director Ravada Chandrasekhar, Fire Force DG Yogesh Gupta, Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham, SPG Deputy Chief Suresh Raj Purohit, and ADGP M.R. Ajith Kumar. Nitin Agarwal, a Delhi native and former BSF chief, is seen as the frontrunner, with an unblemished record and seniority on his side. Both Agarwal and Chandrasekhar are due for retirement in 2026, but a DGP appointment could extend their tenure by a year. The newly appointed police chief is expected to assume charge during Darvesh Sahib’s farewell ceremony, marking a key leadership transition in the state’s law enforcement.
